


got me seein' stars when i'm with you

by theamazingkrypto



Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Its Complicated - Freeform, Kinda, Pre-Relationship, graffiti artist au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-10 00:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11116311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theamazingkrypto/pseuds/theamazingkrypto
Summary: Ellie hasn't come close to catching her breath yet, and all she can manage is a wheezing little chuckle. "I can't believe we got away.""I thought we wouldn't, for a second," Riley admits.





	got me seein' stars when i'm with you

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from _The English Summer_ , by _The Wombats_.

Ellie collapses on the ground, dragging in deep, ragged breaths. Riley's trying to catch her own above her, hands on her knees, sweat dripping down her temple.

There's dead silence in the decrepit mall. Nothing but the echoing sounds of their labored breathing.

Until Riley snorts. A smile slides onto her face, her hand coming to rest on her stomach. She cracks up. "I can't believe we got caught!"

Ellie hasn't come close to catching her breath yet, and all she can manage is a wheezing little chuckle. "I can't believe-" She winces, cupping her side, mutters, "Cramp, cramp, cramp." She waits a moment for the initial pain to lessen. "I can't believe we got away."

"I thought we wouldn't, for a second," Riley says. She plops down next to Ellie, leaning her weight back onto her hands.

Ellie nods. "When those six SWAT cars pulled up-"

"It was _two cops_."

"- _when those six SWAT cars pulled up_ , I thought we were goners for sure, but luckily, due to my quick thinking and superior body strength, I was able to hoist us to safety." She rolls up the sleeve of her oversized jacket and flexes, showing off her pasty, freckled arm.

Riley rolls her eyes at her friend's antics and shoves it out of her face. "We hid under a smelly ass dumpster and then made a mad dash for the mall," she says. "You're delusional."

Ellie pouts. "Maybe you just aren't fun enough."

"Bitch!" Riley barks out a laugh. " _Me_? _Not fun_? Have you even met me?"

"I know what you are, but what am I?" Ellie snarks back.

"That doesn't even make sense."

Ellie turns her head to stick her tongue out at her, but Riley catches her chin in her callused fingers, brows drawn together in concern. "Damn. I really got you good, didn't I?" She's inspecting the big splotch of blue paint that covers Ellie's cheek. Riley had heard the cop car pulling up, panicked and yelled, "Oh, _fuck_ , cops!" She was still spraying the wall when she whipped around, and Ellie had taken a face full of blue.

"I'm fine. You didn't get anything important." Because while Ellie's new foster parents, Tess and Joel, are more than happy to let her pursue a life of anarchy, they want her to be safe. They would only supply the paint cans if she promised to wear safety googles and those nurse masks.

It's only then does Ellie notice how close they are. Riley's breath is hot on her lips, and loose curls tickle her face. She feels her face heat up.

She's not even sure Riley is aware of it, as she appears to be focused on peeling the paint from Ellie's cheek as gently as possible.

Riley's eyes meet hers, flick down to her lips, then back up again. Ellie's breath hitches. She licks her lips. "Um."

Riley grins minutely, before kissing her, and Ellie can feel it against her mouth. It's probably the best thing that Ellie has ever felt, ever, in her entire life, and she can't help the smile that spreads across her face in return.

They're practically just smooshing faces now instead of actually kissing. Riley's hand slides to cup the back of her head to fix that. She tilts her head back, bites at her bottom lip, and Ellie's sure she's not breathing anymore.

They finally have to pull away for air. Riley sets her forehead against Ellie's temple, breath fanning out in puffs across her cheek.

Ellie gulps. "That was..." They've kissed six times, and they haven't really talked about whatever this is; whatever they are. She thinks that Riley might be scared, and she takes her hand and hopes it tells her that she doesn't have to be.

Riley squeezes her hand in return. "Yeah. It was." She kisses her cheek, the scar on her eyebrow, then pulls herself to her feet. There's a look to her eyes that Ellie can't quite decipher.

She offers her a hand. "C'mon. We should get out of here."

**Author's Note:**

> Come scream with me about Rellie and tlou2 on tumblr [**@theamazingkrypto**](https://theamazingkrypto.tumblr.com) ****
> 
> Reviews really do mean a lot to me!


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